A climate policy advisor urged the city to increase its urban tree canopy from 19% to 28% by 2030, emphasizing the need to balance canopy expansion with urban density to improve climate resilience. To achieve this goal, he recommended adopting stronger tree preservation ordinances, offering developer incentives, and aligning local regulations with the Urban Forestry Management Plan. Additionally, a council member contributed to the topic by highlighting how disparities in urban tree canopies can exacerbate heat islands and reflect hidden income inequalities.
Forests_green_space
Vancouver City Council · Aug 24, 2026 · 21:53–22:11 · Watch on CVTV ↗
Keywords: tree canopy Urban Forest Forestry parks trails
What was said
20:53 into this project, and that includes the heavy discount in the land value of 617,000. That amount is calculated based on the senior housing project's portion of the land valuation that was conducted February of last year. So that was that 676 land valuation. And then we calculated today's value of that discounted ground lease over that 40-year period, per me. And so the city's investment in the land is the land valuation less today's value of the discounted ground lease. There's also two million in the affordable housing fund,
21:52 and then this project does qualify for an 80% reduction in parks and traffic impact fees, and so that 200,000 number is that 80% reduction in those fees, bringing it to a total of 2.8 million. The private investment in this project totals around 26.7 million, and so comparing the private investment versus the public investment, that comes to roughly a nine-to-one leverage ratio. The city will also take advantage of the construction sales tax, as well as utility taxes that this project will generate. Turning to next steps, today we're to take action on the development agreement.
22:48 I will say that this project is applying for state funding at the end of next month, and so timing is critical to get this, for the council to vote on this development agreement as the developer needs to demonstrate site control,
Evidence (1 match)
direct keyword 21:53–22:11 tree canopy, Urban Forest, Forestry, parks, trails
ear period, per me. And so the city's investment in the land is the land valuation less today's value of the discounted ground lease. There's also two million in the affordable housing fund, and then this project does qualify for an 80% reduction in parks and traffic impact fees, and so that 200,000 number is that 80% reduction in those fees, bringing it to a total of 2.8 million. The private investment in this project totals around 26.7 million, and so comparing the private investment versus th